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Peter A

In article .com>,
says...
>
> Would a member of the Inner Circle (since surely, only the Enlightened
> know these things intuitively) please explain to me the difference
> between "chilli powder", "paprika", and "cayenne"?
>
> Some people seem to use these terms interchangeably, but when I have
> personally _treated_ them as being interchangeable, I either get a
> bland meal or a hitherto unknown biological weapon of unparalleled
> pungency.
>
> And yes, I've read the FAQ for this esteemed froup at faqs.org, but
> was unable to find this information.
>
> Help, and thanks.
>
>

Here's my take on this question.

All three items are ground chili peppers (except sometimes for "chili
powder" which may have additional spices, such as cumin, that are used
in making chili.

The terms CANNOT be used interchangeably.

Different kinds of peppers are used. I don't know all of their names,
but for chili powder you get certain peppers that are traditionally
grown in Mexico and the southwest US. For paprika it's Hungary and
Spain, mostly. For cayenne it's a specific pepper of that name (I
think).

Chili powder can be mild, medium, or hot. Cayenne is, in my experience,
always hot. Paprika is mild or medium, I have never experienced really
hot paprika.

Cayenne adds heat and not much else. Paprika adds heat (sometimes) and a
pepper flavor. Chili powder adds heat and a different chili flavor.

So, there's no guaranteed way to get dishes just as hot as you want.
Find a few brands that you like and experiment with them.

--
Peter Aitken